Such a ball-and-socket joint is known especially from DE 42 44 886 C2. The angular mobility between the joint head and the joint housing of the ball-and-socket joint disclosed in that document is limited in that document by a stop device, which comprises a rotationally symmetrical, truncated cone-shaped stop on the housing, with which stop a counterstop formed by a corresponding recess in the joint head is associated at a spaced location.
Even though a stop element of such a design has proved, in principle, to be successful, it nevertheless has the drawback that in case of contact between the ball pivot pin and the truncated cone-shaped stop present on the housing, the bearing shell is partially subject to a very high load in the upper area facing the pivot area as a consequence of a developing lever action, which may lead to premature wear and a reduction of the overall service life of the ball-and-socket joint.
This is especially disadvantageous when the ball-and-socket joints with the possibility of the prior-art angular deflection limitation are loaded by the spring force and must bear the weight of the wheel carrier and brake disk in the fully deflected state of the vehicle.